Simon Brown.

Join me on this journey. Let's seek the truth together! 💡 Proverbs 8:34-36 Blessed is the man who hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my door posts. For whoever finds me finds life, and will obtain favor from Yahweh. But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul. All those who hate me love death.” Psalm 84: 11 For Yahweh God is a sun and a shield. Yahweh will give grace and glory. He withholds no good thing from those who walk blamelessly. 12 Yahweh of Armies, blessed is the man who trusts in you. 1 John 5:5 Now who is the one overcoming the world, except the one believing that Jesus is the Son of God.
Showing posts with label Yahweh. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Yahweh. Show all posts

Monday, 31 August 2026

Quick Facts: Does God's Name Disprove the Trinity? — Yahweh, the Only True God


Bible study asking whether God's name Yahweh challenges the Trinity and who Scripture identifies as the only true God.

A Quick Facts Bible-study image examining God's divine name Yahweh and the biblical identity of the only true God. The study considers the Bible's declarations that Yahweh is one and Jesus' words to his Father in John 17:3: “the only true God.” Research by Simon Brown.

QUICK FACTS: DOES GOD'S NAME DISPROVE THE TRINITY?

Who Does the Bible Identify as Yahweh, the Only True God?

Research by Simon Brown

One of the most important questions any Christian can ask is:

WHO IS GOD?

Is the God of the Bible explicitly revealed as three persons in one divine being?

Or does Scripture consistently identify the one God as Yahweh, the Father, while identifying Jesus Christ as His Son whom He sent?

Rather than beginning with a church creed, let us begin with Scripture.

GOD HAS A PERSONAL NAME

Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, the God of Israel identifies Himself by the divine name:

YHWH — YAHWEH

God told Moses:

“This is my name forever, and this is my memorial to all generations.”

Exodus 3:15 — WEB

This name occurs thousands of times throughout the Hebrew Scriptures.

And the Bible repeatedly associates Yahweh with the one God of Israel.

Moses declared:

“Hear, Israel: Yahweh is our God. Yahweh is one.”

Deuteronomy 6:4 — WEB

This became Israel's great confession of faith—the Shema.

But notice something extremely important.

Jesus himself affirmed it.

JESUS SAID YAHWEH IS ONE

When Jesus was asked:

“Which commandment is the greatest of all?”

Jesus answered:

“The greatest is, ‘Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.’”

Mark 12:29 — WEB

Jesus did not replace Israel's confession of one God with a new statement saying:

“God is three persons.”

Instead, he reaffirmed the ancient confession:

THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE.

And the Jewish scribe answering Jesus understood him perfectly:

“Teacher, you have truly said that he is one, and there is none other but he.”

Mark 12:32

Jesus approved his answer.

That deserves serious consideration.

“THERE IS NO ONE ELSE BESIDES HIM”

Long before Jesus, Moses told Israel:

“It was shown to you so that you might know that Yahweh is God. There is no one else besides him.”

Deuteronomy 4:35 — WEB

Notice the language:

YAHWEH IS GOD.

And:

“THERE IS NO ONE ELSE BESIDES HIM.”

Again Moses says:

“Know therefore today, and take it to heart, that Yahweh himself is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath. There is no one else.”

Deuteronomy 4:39 — WEB

This is extraordinarily strong monotheistic language.

YAHWEH SAYS THERE IS NO GOD BESIDES HIM

Isaiah records Yahweh saying:

“I am the first, and I am the last; and besides me there is no God.”

Isaiah 44:6 — WEB

Again:

“Is there a God besides me? Indeed, there is not.”

Isaiah 44:8 — WEB

And:

“I am God, and there is no one else. I am God, and there is none like me.”

Isaiah 46:9 — WEB

The Bible's language is remarkably consistent:

Yahweh is God.

Yahweh is one.

There is no God besides Him.

YAHWEH ALONE CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH

Yahweh also identifies Himself as the Creator:

“I am Yahweh, who makes all things; who alone stretches out the heavens; who spreads out the earth by myself.”

Isaiah 44:24 — WEB

Hezekiah likewise prayed:

“Yahweh, the God of Israel, who sits above the cherubim, you are the God, even you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth.”

2 Kings 19:15 — WEB

Again we find the same language:

“YOU ARE THE GOD, EVEN YOU ALONE.”

This raises an important question:

Who does the New Testament identify as this one God?

JESUS GIVES US AN EXTRAORDINARILY CLEAR ANSWER

On the night before his death, Jesus prayed to his Father:

“This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ.”

John 17:3 — WEB

Look carefully at the grammatical distinction.

Jesus identifies:

“YOU” — THE FATHER

as:

“THE ONLY TRUE GOD”

and then distinguishes himself as:

“JESUS CHRIST, WHOM YOU SENT.”

This verse does not use the word Trinity.

It does not say:

“You, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, are the only true God.”

The person Jesus is addressing is his Father.

That is what the text explicitly says.

WHAT DOES “ONLY” MEAN IN JOHN 17:3?

The Greek word translated “only” is:

μόνος — monos

It can mean:

only, alone, solitary, or the only one of its kind, depending upon context.

But an important correction needs to be made to my earlier research.

The Greek word monos does not by itself mean “one person.”

That goes beyond the lexical meaning.

The stronger argument is simply to allow the grammar of John 17:3 to speak:

Jesus is praying to his Father, and it is the Father whom Jesus addresses as:

“THE ONLY TRUE GOD.”

The theological significance of that statement should be examined alongside everything else Scripture says about the Father and Son.

PAUL IDENTIFIES THE ONE GOD

Paul gives another remarkably clear statement:

“yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ…”

1 Corinthians 8:6 — WEB

Notice Paul's distinction:

ONE GOD — THE FATHER

and

ONE LORD — JESUS CHRIST.

Trinitarians understand this verse within a larger Trinitarian framework and often argue that Paul is incorporating Jesus into Israel's confession of Yahweh.

That interpretation deserves to be represented fairly.

But the explicit wording still deserves equal attention:

Paul actually writes:

“ONE GOD, THE FATHER.”

PAUL AGAIN DISTINGUISHES GOD FROM JESUS

First Timothy says:

“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”

1 Timothy 2:5

Again we have two categories:

ONE GOD

and

ONE MEDIATOR BETWEEN GOD AND HUMANITY.

The mediator is identified as:

“THE MAN CHRIST JESUS.”

A mediator, by definition in this sentence, mediates between God and mankind.

This is therefore another important passage when examining the relationship between God and His Messiah.

YAHWEH IS THE TRUE GOD

Jeremiah declares:

“But Yahweh is the true God; he is the living God, and an everlasting King.”

Jeremiah 10:10 — WEB

Notice:

YAHWEH IS THE TRUE GOD.

Jesus later calls his Father:

“THE ONLY TRUE GOD.”

John 17:3

These passages naturally raise an important question:

Is the Father whom Jesus calls “the only true God” the same God Israel knew as Yahweh?

The biblical evidence strongly points in that direction.

THE ONE GOD IS IMMORTAL

Paul writes:

“Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”

1 Timothy 1:17 — WEB

Elsewhere he speaks of God:

“who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen nor can see.”

1 Timothy 6:16 — WEB

This becomes particularly significant when compared with Jesus Christ, who genuinely died and whom God raised from the dead:

“This Jesus God raised up, to which we all are witnesses.”

Acts 2:32 — WEB

The biblical distinction is again clear:

JESUS DIED.

GOD RAISED JESUS.

Whatever theological explanation we subsequently construct must account for those explicit statements.

DOES THE BIBLE EVER SAY “GOD IS THREE PERSONS”?

Here we need to be precise.

The Bible certainly contains passages where the Father, Son and Holy Spirit appear together, such as Matthew 28:19 and 2 Corinthians 13:14.

Trinitarian Christians understand such passages, together with other texts concerning Christ and the Spirit, as evidence leading to the doctrine of one God existing eternally as three persons.

But there is an important distinction between:

a doctrine constructed from a collection of biblical passages

and

a statement explicitly found in Scripture.

There is no verse that literally says:

“THE ONE GOD IS THREE PERSONS.”

Nor does Scripture use the expression:

“GOD THE SON.”

Nor:

“GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT.”

Nor:

“ONE GOD IN THREE PERSONS.”

That does not automatically prove the Trinity false.

But it does mean the doctrine must be inferred and demonstrated from Scripture, rather than simply quoted from a verse that explicitly defines God that way.

WHAT ABOUT THE TRINITY?

Orthodox Trinitarian Christianity does not officially teach that there are three Gods.

The doctrine says there is one God in three distinct persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, sharing one divine being or essence.

That distinction is important because we should test the Trinity as Trinitarians themselves define it, rather than arguing against a position they reject.

The real biblical question is therefore:

DOES SCRIPTURE ITSELF REQUIRE US TO UNDERSTAND THE ONE GOD IN THIS WAY?

That is the question my research continues to examine.

And several statements must be taken seriously:

“Yahweh is one.” — Deuteronomy 6:4

“There is no one else besides him.” — Deuteronomy 4:35

“Besides me there is no God.” — Isaiah 44:6

“You are the God, even you alone.” — 2 Kings 19:15

“You, the only true God.” — John 17:3

“One God, the Father.” — 1 Corinthians 8:6

“There is one God, and one mediator… the man Christ Jesus.” — 1 Timothy 2:5

These are not later theological formulas.

They are statements found directly in Scripture.

WHAT ABOUT JESUS CHRIST?

Rejecting the proposition that Jesus is the one God does not require diminishing Jesus.

The Bible presents Jesus as:

the Christ

the Son of God

the only begotten Son

the Lamb of God

the Lord Messiah

the Savior

the one whom God sent

the one whom God raised from the dead

the one whom God exalted

and

the one mediator between God and mankind.

Peter confessed:

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Matthew 16:16

Jesus said:

“I said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”

John 10:36

And John tells us why his Gospel was written:

“that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.”

John 20:31

Those are magnificent titles.

We do not need to replace them with titles Scripture itself never gives Jesus.

QUICK FACTS

Yahweh is one.
Deuteronomy 6:4.

There is no one else besides Yahweh.
Deuteronomy 4:35.

There is no God besides Yahweh.
Isaiah 44:6.

Yahweh alone made heaven and earth.
Isaiah 44:24; 2 Kings 19:15.

Jeremiah calls Yahweh “the true God.”
Jeremiah 10:10.

Jesus calls his Father “the only true God.”
John 17:3.

Paul identifies “one God, the Father.”
1 Corinthians 8:6.

Paul distinguishes the one God from “the man Christ Jesus,” the mediator.
1 Timothy 2:5.

Jesus identifies himself as the Son of God.
John 10:36.

John says his Gospel was written so that we believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.
John 20:31.

CONCLUSION

God's divine name Yahweh does not, merely by its linguistic form, “disprove the Trinity.”

That claim in my original article went too far.

But the biblical evidence surrounding that name presents a serious and important question for the Trinity doctrine.

The God called Yahweh repeatedly declares that:

HE IS ONE.

THERE IS NO GOD BESIDES HIM.

HE ALONE IS GOD.

HE ALONE CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH.

Then Jesus Christ addresses his Father as:

“THE ONLY TRUE GOD.”

And Paul identifies:

“ONE GOD, THE FATHER.”

while distinguishing from Him:

“THE MAN CHRIST JESUS”

—the one mediator between God and mankind.

Therefore the question is not simply:

“Does the word Trinity appear in the Bible?”

The deeper question is:

WHO DOES THE BIBLE ITSELF IDENTIFY AS THE ONE GOD?

My conclusion from these passages is that Scripture identifies the Father as the one God, and Jesus Christ as His Son, Messiah and appointed mediator.

Readers should examine every passage carefully and decide whether that conclusion accounts for the whole biblical evidence better than the later doctrine of one God in three persons.

“THIS IS ETERNAL LIFE, THAT THEY SHOULD KNOW YOU, THE ONLY TRUE GOD, AND HIM WHOM YOU SENT, JESUS CHRIST.”

John 17:3

Research by Simon Brown

wwwrealdiscoveriesorg-simon.blogspot.com

RELATED ARTICLES:

Quick Facts: John 3:16 — What Does “God Gave His Only Begotten Son” Really Mean?

John 1:1

Hebrews 1:10 – Did God Really Say to the Son, “You Laid the Foundation of the Earth”?

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Sunday, 30 August 2026

Quick Facts: Is the Holy Spirit of Yahweh Ever Taught as a Separate Third Person?

Bible study examining whether the Holy Spirit of Yahweh is taught in Scripture as a separate third person or as God's own Spirit, presence and power.

A detailed Bible-study infographic examining whether Scripture presents the Holy Spirit of Yahweh as a separate third person. It compares 2 Samuel 23:2, John 4:24, Luke 1:35, Acts 2:33, Acts 10:38 and other passages describing God's own Spirit, presence, power and operation. Research by Simon Brown.

QUICK FACTS: IS THE HOLY SPIRIT OF YAHWEH EVER TAUGHT AS A SEPARATE THIRD PERSON?

What Does the Bible Actually Say About the Spirit of Yahweh?

Research by Simon Brown

START WITH WHAT SCRIPTURE ACTUALLY SAYS

The doctrine of the Trinity teaches that the Holy Spirit is a distinct divine person, alongside the Father and the Son, within the one God.

But does the Bible itself ever use the expression:

“GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT”?

Does Scripture ever call the Holy Spirit:

“THE THIRD PERSON OF THE TRINITY”?

Or should we begin with the biblical language itself and ask what God's Spirit actually means?

One particularly important passage is 2 Samuel 23:2.

The World English Bible reads:

“Yahweh's Spirit spoke by me.
His word was on my tongue.”

2 Samuel 23:2 — WEB

Notice the relationship:

YAHWEH'S SPIRIT

and:

HIS WORD.

The Spirit belongs to and proceeds from Yahweh.

The text does not introduce another God or explicitly identify a separate “third person.”

“THE SPIRIT OF YAHWEH”

This expression occurs throughout the Old Testament.

The Hebrew expression is:

רוּחַ יְהוָה

RUACH YHWH

Meaning:

“THE SPIRIT OF YAHWEH.”

That possessive relationship matters.

Scripture repeatedly speaks about:

the Spirit of Yahweh

My Spirit

Your Spirit

His Spirit

and:

the Spirit of God.

For example:

“Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.”

Psalm 51:11 — WEB

David places God's presence and God's Holy Spirit closely together.

Again Isaiah says:

“But they rebelled, and grieved his Holy Spirit.”

Isaiah 63:10 — WEB

And shortly afterward:

“Where is he who put his Holy Spirit among them?”

Isaiah 63:11 — WEB

These passages certainly describe God's Spirit acting personally: speaking, being grieved, leading and working.

But that raises the question we must investigate rather than assume:

DOES PERSONAL LANGUAGE NECESSARILY MAKE THE SPIRIT A SEPARATE DIVINE PERSON WITHIN GOD?

The verses themselves do not use that later theological terminology.

JESUS SAID GOD IS SPIRIT

Jesus told the Samaritan woman:

“God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

John 4:24 — WEB

This is extremely important.

Jesus does not say:

“THE THIRD PERSON IS SPIRIT.”

He says:

“GOD IS SPIRIT.”

However, we should be precise here.

John 4:24 does not by itself prove that “Holy Spirit” is simply another proper name for Yahweh. It establishes that God's nature is spirit.

Our case should therefore rest on the broader biblical evidence concerning God and His Spirit, rather than asking one verse to prove more than it says.

GOD'S SPIRIT IS HIS SPIRIT

Consider God's own words:

“I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh…”

Joel 2:28 — WEB

God calls it:

“MY SPIRIT.”

Peter quotes this prophecy at Pentecost:

“I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh…”

Acts 2:17 — BLB

Again the language is:

“MY SPIRIT.”

Then Peter explains what happened to Jesus:

“Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, He has poured out this which you both see and hear.”

Acts 2:33 — BLB

Notice the relationships.

Jesus is exalted by God.

Jesus receives the promised Holy Spirit from the Father.

Jesus then pours it out upon the believers.

Whatever conclusions we reach about the Spirit, these distinctions need to remain visible.

GOD GIVES HIS SPIRIT

Jesus says:

“If you therefore, being evil, know to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father who is in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those asking Him!”

Luke 11:13 — BLB

Who gives the Holy Spirit?

THE FATHER.

Similarly Paul writes:

“Therefore the one rejecting this does not disregard man but God, the One also giving His Holy Spirit to you.”

1 Thessalonians 4:8 — BLB

Again:

GOD GIVES HIS HOLY SPIRIT.

This is exactly the kind of language that must be considered when asking whether the Holy Spirit is presented biblically as a separate third divine person.

THE SPIRIT OF GOD AND THE POWER OF GOD

The conception of Jesus gives us another fascinating comparison.

The angel told Mary:

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you…”

Luke 1:35 — BLB

Notice the parallel:

“THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL COME UPON YOU”

and:

“THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH WILL OVERSHADOW YOU.”

This is strong evidence connecting God's Spirit with God's active divine presence and power.

But again, we should avoid claiming Luke literally says:

“THE HOLY SPIRIT IS ONLY AN IMPERSONAL FORCE.”

Luke does not say that either.

The point is that the biblical language must be allowed to define our understanding.

GOD WORKS THROUGH HIS SPIRIT

Peter says of Jesus:

“Jesus from Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power…”

Acts 10:38 — BLB

Look at the structure:

GOD ANOINTED JESUS.

With:

THE HOLY SPIRIT AND POWER.

Peter then explains:

“…because God was with Him.”

This is particularly significant.

God was with Jesus, and Jesus was anointed with God's Holy Spirit and power.

WHAT ABOUT THE SPIRIT SPEAKING?

One of the strongest Trinitarian arguments is that Scripture describes the Holy Spirit speaking.

For example:

“Now the Spirit says expressly…”

1 Timothy 4:1 — BLB

And:

“The Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart now to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’”

Acts 13:2 — BLB

These verses should not be ignored.

They are genuine evidence used by Trinitarians for the Spirit's personal agency.

But now return to our opening passage:

“Yahweh's Spirit spoke by me. His word was on my tongue.”

2 Samuel 23:2 — WEB

When God's Spirit speaks, it is God communicating through His Spirit.

Indeed, the next verse continues:

“The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me…”

2 Samuel 23:3 — WEB

That context is extremely important.

Verse 2 says:

“YAHWEH'S SPIRIT SPOKE”

Verse 3 says:

“THE GOD OF ISRAEL SAID.”

The passage itself closely connects the speaking of Yahweh's Spirit with the speaking of the God of Israel.

That deserves serious consideration.

WHAT ABOUT THE WORD OF GOD?

There is an interesting parallel in 2 Samuel 23:2:

“Yahweh's Spirit spoke by me. His word was on my tongue.”

God's word is His communication.

Psalm 33:6 says:

“By Yahweh's word, the heavens were made; all their army by the breath of his mouth.”

Psalm 33:6 — WEB

Notice the parallelism:

YAHWEH'S WORD

and:

THE BREATH OF HIS MOUTH.

The Hebrew word translated “breath” is ruach — the same Hebrew word that can mean spirit, wind or breath, depending upon context.

This provides important Old Testament background for understanding both God's word and God's Spirit.

BUT WHAT ABOUT JOHN 1:1?

John begins:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

John 1:1 — BLB

Then John 1:14 says:

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, a glory as of an only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

John 1:14 — BLB

Notice John's actual wording:

“THE WORD BECAME FLESH.”

John does not write:

“GOD THE SON BECAME FLESH.”

Nor does John use the expression:

“THE SECOND PERSON OF THE TRINITY BECAME FLESH.”

Those are later theological formulations.

However, we should also correct one part of the original article.

The fact that John says “the Word became flesh” rather than “God became flesh” does not, by itself, disprove the Trinitarian interpretation. A Trinitarian would argue that the Word is the divine Son and therefore God became incarnate specifically in the person of the Son.

The real question is therefore:

WHAT DID JOHN MEAN BY “THE WORD”?

That must be established from John's writings and their biblical background rather than assumed from either Trinitarian or Unitarian theology.

DOES THE BIBLE EVER SAY “THIRD PERSON”?

Here is a simple but important fact.

You will not find the expression:

“THIRD PERSON OF THE TRINITY”

anywhere in Scripture.

You will not find:

“GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT”

as a biblical title in the same formula later theology uses.

You will not find a verse saying:

“GOD IS THREE PERSONS.”

That does not automatically disprove the Trinity—doctrines can sometimes summarize biblical teaching using later terminology.

But it means Trinitarians must demonstrate the concept from Scripture rather than simply assuming the later terminology is biblical.

That is the issue this study raises.

WHAT ABOUT MATTHEW 28:19?

Jesus commands baptism:

“…in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit…”

Matthew 28:19 — BLB

This is one of the strongest passages used in Trinitarian theology.

It clearly mentions:

THE FATHER.

THE SON.

THE HOLY SPIRIT.

But notice what it does not explicitly say.

It does not say:

“THESE THREE ARE ONE GOD.”

It does not say:

“THESE ARE THREE CO-EQUAL, CO-ETERNAL PERSONS.”

And it does not call the Holy Spirit:

“GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT.”

Those conclusions require additional theological argument.

Therefore Matthew 28:19 establishes a threefold baptismal formula, but the precise ontological relationship among Father, Son and Holy Spirit must be determined from the wider biblical evidence.

PAUL'S LANGUAGE IS ALSO INTERESTING

Paul regularly identifies the one God as the Father.

For example:

“yet to us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ…”

1 Corinthians 8:6 — BLB

Notice that Paul explicitly identifies:

“ONE GOD, THE FATHER.”

Then distinguishes:

“ONE LORD, JESUS CHRIST.”

The Holy Spirit is not introduced here as another person who is also “the one God.”

Again, this alone does not settle every question about the Spirit.

But it certainly belongs in the evidence.

SO WHAT DOES THE BIBLE PRESENT THE HOLY SPIRIT AS?

Across Scripture we repeatedly find language such as:

THE SPIRIT OF GOD

THE SPIRIT OF YAHWEH

HIS SPIRIT

MY SPIRIT

YOUR HOLY SPIRIT

THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH

GOD POURING OUT HIS SPIRIT

GOD GIVING HIS SPIRIT

GOD SPEAKING THROUGH HIS SPIRIT

The Spirit speaks.

The Spirit teaches.

The Spirit guides.

The Spirit can be grieved.

The Spirit empowers.

The Spirit reveals.

These personal descriptions are real and should not be dismissed.

The question is whether these descriptions require us to conclude that the Spirit is:

A SEPARATE THIRD DIVINE PERSON WITHIN A TRIUNE GOD.

That exact proposition is never stated in Scripture.

QUICK FACTS

2 Samuel 23:2 calls the Spirit “Yahweh's Spirit.”

2 Samuel 23:3 immediately identifies the speaker as “the God of Israel.”

God repeatedly calls the Spirit “My Spirit.”

David calls it “Your Holy Spirit.”

The Father gives the Holy Spirit.

Jesus receives the promised Holy Spirit from the Father.

God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and power.

Luke 1:35 closely associates the Holy Spirit with the power of the Most High.

John 4:24 says God is Spirit.

The Bible never uses the expression “third person of the Trinity.”

The Bible never explicitly says “God is three persons.”

Those facts should be considered before imposing later theological terminology upon the biblical text.

FINAL QUESTION

If the Holy Spirit is repeatedly described as:

YAHWEH'S SPIRIT,

GOD'S SPIRIT,

HIS SPIRIT,

MY SPIRIT,

and:

YOUR HOLY SPIRIT,

why should we automatically understand those expressions as meaning:

“A SEPARATE THIRD PERSON OF GOD”?

That is precisely what must be demonstrated rather than assumed.

For me, 2 Samuel 23:2–3 provides a particularly powerful example:

“Yahweh's Spirit spoke by me. His word was on my tongue. The God of Israel said…”

2 Samuel 23:2–3 — WEB

Yahweh speaks through His Spirit.

His word is communicated.

The God of Israel is the speaker.

Therefore, I believe the biblical evidence presents the Holy Spirit fundamentally as God's own Spirit—His active presence, power and operation—rather than explicitly introducing another separate divine person alongside Him.

And whatever conclusion we reach, our doctrine should come from what Scripture actually teaches—not terminology that Scripture itself never uses.

READ MY FULL STUDY:

What Is the Holy Spirit?

Research by Simon Brown

wwwrealdiscoveriesorg-simon.blogspot.com

Quick Facts: John 3:16 — What Does “God Gave His Only Begotten Son” Really Mean?

John 1:1

Hebrews 1:10 – Did God Really Say to the Son, “You Laid the Foundation of the Earth”?

Bible study examining whether the Holy Spirit of Yahweh is taught in Scripture as a separate third person or as God's own Spirit, presence and power.

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Wednesday, 26 August 2026

Quick Facts: Does Isaiah 43:11 Prove Jesus Is God Almighty?

Quick Facts study of Isaiah 43:11 asking whether Yahweh saying there is no Savior besides Him proves Jesus is God Almighty because Jesus is also called Savior.

A detailed biblical research infographic examining Isaiah 43:11 and the claim that Jesus being called Savior proves He is God Almighty. The study compares Yahweh as the ultimate source of salvation with Old Testament saviors and 1 John 4:14, where the Father sends His Son as Savior of the world.

QUICK FACTS: DOES ISAIAH 43:11 PROVE JESUS IS GOD ALMIGHTY?

IF YAHWEH SAYS “THERE IS NO SAVIOR BESIDES ME,” WHY IS JESUS ALSO CALLED SAVIOR?

Isaiah contains a powerful declaration from Yahweh:

ISAIAH 43:11

“I, I am Yahweh, and besides Me there is no savior.”

This verse is sometimes presented as evidence that Jesus must be Yahweh God Almighty because the New Testament also calls Jesus Savior.

The argument is simple:

1. Yahweh says there is no Savior besides Him.

2. Jesus is called Savior.

3. Therefore Jesus must be Yahweh.

At first this may sound convincing.

But is that actually what Scripture teaches?

Or does the Bible itself explain how Yahweh can be the ultimate source of salvation while appointing and sending others through whom He saves?

Let us examine the evidence.

WHAT DOES “SAVIOR” MEAN?

Biblical study showing that Savior means one who saves, delivers or rescues, and that Isaiah 19:20 says Yahweh would send a savior and defender.

A detailed biblical infographic examining the meaning of “Savior.” It compares Isaiah 43:11 with Isaiah 19:20 and other Old Testament passages, showing that Yahweh can be the ultimate Savior while also raising up and sending appointed saviors through whom He brings deliverance.

The biblical concept of a savior includes someone who saves, delivers or rescues.
That immediately raises an important question:

DOES THE BIBLE EVER CALL SOMEONE OTHER THAN YAHWEH A SAVIOR?

Yes.

And this fact changes the argument considerably.

GOD HIMSELF PROMISED TO SEND “A SAVIOR”

Consider this remarkable passage:

ISAIAH 19:20

Speaking about people crying out to Yahweh because of their oppressors, Isaiah says that God would:

SEND THEM A SAVIOR AND A DEFENDER.

This is extremely important.

Yahweh can say that He is Israel's Savior while simultaneously:

SENDING A SAVIOR.

Why?

Because Yahweh remains the ultimate source of the deliverance, while another person can be God's appointed instrument through whom that salvation is accomplished.

GOD RAISED UP SAVIORS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

Biblical study showing that Yahweh raised up saviors in the Old Testament, including Othniel in Judges 3:9, demonstrating that the title Savior does not by itself identify someone as Yahweh.

A detailed biblical infographic examining Old Testament examples of God raising up saviors and deliverers. Judges 3:9 describes Othniel as a savior raised up by Yahweh, while 2 Kings 13:5 says Yahweh gave Israel a savior, highlighting the distinction between God as the ultimate source of salvation and the saviors He appoints.

This pattern appears elsewhere.

JUDGES 3:9

When Israel cried out to Yahweh:

“Yahweh raised up a savior to the sons of Israel, who saved them…”

That savior was Othniel.

Was Othniel therefore Yahweh?

Obviously not.

He was God's appointed deliverer.

Again:

2 KINGS 13:5

“And Yahweh gave Israel a savior…”

Notice the distinction:

YAHWEH GAVE THE SAVIOR.

Therefore, the title “savior” by itself does not prove that the person bearing the title is Yahweh.

Otherwise, the Old Testament saviors would also have to be Yahweh.

THEN WHAT DOES ISAIAH 43:11 MEAN?

Biblical study of Isaiah 43:11 explaining Yahweh's declaration that there is no Savior besides Him while Scripture also shows God raising up and sending saviors.

A detailed biblical infographic examining Isaiah 43:11: “I, I am Yahweh, and besides Me there is no savior.” It explains Yahweh's unique sovereignty as Israel's God and ultimate source of salvation while comparing passages where God raises up, appoints and sends saviors to deliver His people.

Now Isaiah's declaration becomes much easier to understand.

ISAIAH 43:11

“I, I AM YAHWEH, AND BESIDES ME THERE IS NO SAVIOR.”

Yahweh is declaring His unique sovereignty as Israel's God and ultimate Savior.

Israel was not to look toward the false gods of the nations for salvation.

They could not save Israel.

YAHWEH ALONE WAS THE SOURCE OF THEIR SALVATION.

But Yahweh could accomplish that salvation through people He Himself raised up and sent.

That is exactly what Scripture shows Him doing.

SO WHY IS JESUS CALLED SAVIOR?

Biblical study explaining why Jesus is called Savior, highlighting 1 John 4:14 where the Father sent the Son as Savior of the world.

A detailed biblical infographic examining why Jesus is called Savior. Luke 2:11 identifies Jesus as the Savior, while 1 John 4:14 explains that the Father sent His Son as Savior of the world, distinguishing God who sends from His Son who is sent.

Now we reach the New Testament.

The angel announces:

LUKE 2:11 — BEREAN LITERAL BIBLE

“For today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you, who is Christ the Lord.”

Jesus is unquestionably:

THE SAVIOR.

But does Scripture tell us why Jesus is Savior?

Yes.

And John's answer is remarkably clear.

1 JOHN 4:14 — BEREAN LITERAL BIBLE

“And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.”

Read that again carefully:

THE FATHER SENT THE SON

AS SAVIOR OF THE WORLD.

This is exactly the distinction we need.

John does not say:

“GOD BECAME THE SAVIOR.”

He says:

“THE FATHER HAS SENT THE SON AS SAVIOR.”

GOD BROUGHT JESUS AS SAVIOR

Acts gives us another very important statement.

ACTS 13:22–23

Speaking about David's descendants, Paul says that:

GOD BROUGHT TO ISRAEL A SAVIOR — JESUS.

Again there are two distinguishable subjects:

GOD — THE ONE PROVIDING THE SAVIOR.

and:

JESUS — THE SAVIOR GOD PROVIDED.

This fits perfectly with the Old Testament pattern.

Yahweh is the ultimate source of salvation.

And Yahweh appoints the person through whom His salvation is accomplished.

DOES CALLING JESUS “SAVIOR” THEREFORE PROVE JESUS IS GOD?

No—not by itself.

The reasoning:

“ONLY GOD SAVES + JESUS SAVES = JESUS MUST BE GOD”

overlooks the biblical evidence that God saves through people He appoints.

If merely being called a savior proved someone was God, then we would have a serious problem with passages describing other people as saviors.

But nobody concludes:

OTHNIEL WAS GOD.

Why?

Because God was the ultimate source of Othniel's authority and deliverance.

The same question therefore must be asked concerning Jesus:

DOES JESUS SAVE INDEPENDENTLY OF GOD?

Or:

DID GOD APPOINT AND SEND JESUS TO SAVE?

The New Testament gives us the answer.

GOD EXALTED JESUS AS SAVIOR

Biblical infographic examining Acts 5:30–31, where God raised Jesus from the dead and exalted Him to His right hand as Prince and Savior.

A detailed biblical infographic examining Acts 5:30–31 and Peter’s declaration that the God of the fathers raised Jesus and exalted Him to His right hand as Prince and Savior. The image highlights the distinction between God, who raises and exalts, and Jesus, whom God appointed and exalted.

Acts makes the relationship even clearer:

ACTS 5:30–31 — BEREAN LITERAL BIBLE

Peter first speaks about:

“THE GOD OF OUR FATHERS”

who:

“RAISED UP JESUS.”

Then he says:

“God exalted Him to His right hand as Prince and Savior…”

Look carefully:

GOD RAISED JESUS.

GOD EXALTED JESUS.

GOD MADE HIM PRINCE AND SAVIOR.

The Savior Jesus therefore receives his position and authority from God.

That distinction is extremely difficult to reconcile with the argument that the title Savior itself proves Jesus is the same God who appointed him.

GOD SENT HIS SON TO SAVE THE WORLD

This is the beautiful message running throughout John's writings.

JOHN 3:16 — BEREAN LITERAL BIBLE

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…”

Who gave?

GOD.

Who was given?

HIS SON.

John continues:

JOHN 3:17

God:

“SENT HIS SON INTO THE WORLD”

so that the world might be saved through him.

This distinction is fundamental to the Gospel.

GOD SENT.

THE SON WAS SENT.

ABRAHAM AND ISAAC FORESHADOW THIS GREAT SACRIFICE

Biblical infographic showing Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22 foreshadowing God's provision of His Son, with Genesis 22:14 and John 3:16.

A detailed biblical infographic connecting Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22 with God's provision of His Son. It highlights “Yahweh will provide,” John 3:16, and the distinction between God the Father who gives and His only begotten Son who was given for the salvation of the world.

Genesis 22 provides one of Scripture's most powerful pictures.

Abraham was commanded to offer his beloved son Isaac.

But God intervened and provided the sacrifice.

Abraham therefore named the place:

GENESIS 22:14

“YAHWEH WILL PROVIDE.”

This foreshadows something extraordinary.

God would ultimately provide the perfect sacrifice for humanity.

And what did God provide?

HIS OWN SON.

The Gospel does not say that the Father came to earth and sacrificed Himself.

It says:

JOHN 3:16

“GOD… GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON.”

The distinction between the Giver and the Son who was given should not be overlooked.

THE LAMB IS “THE LAMB OF GOD”

John the Baptist declared:

JOHN 1:29

“BEHOLD, THE LAMB OF GOD.”

Notice the expression.

Jesus is:

THE LAMB OF GOD.

God provided the Lamb.

God sent His Son.

And God's Son willingly gave his life for the world.

This is how God's salvation reaches humanity through His appointed Messiah.

WHAT ABOUT THE CLAIM “JESUS WAS GOD IN THE FLESH”?

Biblical infographic comparing the claim that Jesus was God in the flesh with 1 John 4:14–15, where the Father sends the Son as Savior of the world.

A detailed biblical infographic examining the claim that Jesus was “God in the flesh.” It compares this later theological expression with 1 John 4:14–15, where the Father sends His Son as Savior of the world and John identifies Jesus as the Son of God.

Some Christian ministries explicitly teach that Jesus was “God in the flesh.”

For example, the material reproduced with this research states:

“Because Jesus was God in the flesh…”

But compare that theological statement carefully with John's own language:

1 JOHN 4:14

“THE FATHER HAS SENT THE SON AS SAVIOR OF THE WORLD.”

And:

1 JOHN 4:15 — BEREAN LITERAL BIBLE

“Whoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.”

John's confession is:

JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD.

Therefore, the important question is not whether later Christians sincerely believe Jesus is Savior.

They clearly do.

The question is:

DOES JESUS BEING SAVIOR REQUIRE US TO IDENTIFY HIM AS GOD ALMIGHTY?

Isaiah 43:11 alone cannot establish that conclusion because Scripture itself shows God raising up, appointing and sending saviors.

THE FATHER SENT THE ULTIMATE SAVIOR

Jesus is obviously far greater than Israel's earlier human deliverers.

They provided temporary deliverance.

Jesus was appointed to bring salvation to the world.

John therefore says:

“THE FATHER HAS SENT THE SON AS SAVIOR OF THE WORLD.”

1 John 4:14

God's salvation ultimately comes from God, but it comes to humanity through His Son.

That distinction appears elsewhere:

1 TIMOTHY 2:5 — BEREAN LITERAL BIBLE

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”

Again:

ONE GOD.

and:

ONE MEDIATOR — CHRIST JESUS.

ISAIAH 43:11 DOES NOT REQUIRE TWO SAVIOR GODS

Biblical infographic explaining Isaiah 43:11 and why Yahweh being the only Savior does not conflict with Jesus being the Savior of the world whom the Father sent.

A detailed biblical infographic comparing Isaiah 43:11 with 1 John 4:14. It explains that Yahweh is the ultimate source of salvation while Jesus is God's appointed Messiah and Savior, sent by the Father to save the world.

There is no contradiction between Yahweh saying:

“BESIDES ME THERE IS NO SAVIOR”

and Jesus becoming:

“SAVIOR OF THE WORLD.”

Why?

Because God Himself:

SENT THE SAVIOR.

God is the source of salvation.

Jesus is God's appointed Messiah through whom that salvation is accomplished.

The salvation accomplished through Jesus ultimately originates with the God who sent him.

THE ARGUMENT ACTUALLY CREATES A PROBLEM

Consider the argument carefully:

Only Yahweh can save.

Jesus saves.

Therefore Jesus must be Yahweh.

Now apply exactly the same reasoning to Judges:

Only Yahweh can save.

Othniel saved Israel.

Therefore:

Othniel must be Yahweh.

Obviously that conclusion is false.

Why?

Because Scripture explains that:

YAHWEH RAISED UP OTHNIEL AS SAVIOR.

Likewise Scripture explains:

THE FATHER SENT HIS SON AS SAVIOR OF THE WORLD.

The agency of the Savior does not eliminate the supremacy of the God who sends him.

FINAL CONCLUSION

Does Isaiah 43:11 prove that Jesus must be God Almighty because Yahweh says:

“BESIDES ME THERE IS NO SAVIOR”?

NO.

Not by itself.

Scripture demonstrates that Yahweh can save through saviors whom He raises up and appoints.

And the New Testament explicitly tells us where Jesus' saving mission originated:

1 JOHN 4:14

“THE FATHER HAS SENT THE SON AS SAVIOR OF THE WORLD.”

Jesus did not appoint himself.

GOD SENT HIM.

Jesus did not raise himself to the position of Savior.

GOD EXALTED HIM.

And Jesus is not described by John as the Father who came to save us.

John tells us:

THE FATHER SENT HIS SON.

Therefore Isaiah 43:11 does not prove that Jesus is the same God as his Father.

Instead, when all the relevant passages are allowed to speak together, we find a remarkably consistent biblical pattern:

GOD IS THE ULTIMATE SOURCE OF SALVATION.

GOD PROVIDED THE SAVIOR.

GOD SENT HIS SON.

JESUS CHRIST IS THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD.

And John's confession remains beautifully clear:

1 JOHN 4:15

“JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD.”

Research by Simon Brown
wwwrealdiscoveriesorg-simon.blogspot.com

RELATED ARTICLES:

John 1:1

Hebrews 1:10 – Did God Really Say to the Son, “You Laid the Foundation of the Earth”?


You tube videos:

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Monday, 24 August 2026

Quick Facts: David Pawson and the Trinity – Did “Gods” Create the World, or Did Yahweh Create It Alone?

Quick Facts: David Pawson and the Trinity – Did Gods create the world or did Yahweh create it alone?

A detailed Quick Facts research image examining David Pawson’s Trinitarian teaching concerning creation and comparing it with Isaiah 44:24, John 17:3, 1 Corinthians 8:6 and other biblical passages identifying the one God and Creator.

QUICK FACTS: DAVID PAWSON AND THE TRINITY

DID “GODS” CREATE THE WORLD — OR DID YAHWEH CREATE IT ALONE?

There was a time when I had enormous respect for the Bible teacher David Pawson.

Before examining his teaching concerning the Trinity and creation, I want to explain my personal connection with David Pawson, because I do not want readers to think this article was written because I personally disliked the man.

In fact, the opposite was true.

MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH DAVID PAWSON

For approximately the first ten years of my Christian life, I was myself a Trinitarian.

During that period, I did some work as a cameraman at Revelation TV, where I had the opportunity to meet David Pawson, who was already a very popular and respected Christian Bible teacher.

When I first heard David Pawson teaching, I was extremely impressed.

I loved the calm and compelling way he spoke, and I was impressed by his extensive knowledge of the Bible.

I regarded him as a sincere Christian teacher, and I wanted to learn as much as I possibly could from him.

At that time, I was:

HUNGRY TO UNDERSTAND THE WORD OF GOD.

When I discovered that David Pawson had produced an extensive collection of Bible-teaching DVDs, I decided to purchase the entire collection.

I SPENT MORE THAN £500 ON HIS BIBLE TEACHING SERIES.

That should demonstrate just how highly I regarded David Pawson at the time.

I wasn't looking for reasons to criticise him.

I WANTED TO LEARN FROM HIM.

However, something unexpected happened when I began watching the series.

THE FIRST RED FLAG

Despite purchasing a huge collection of David Pawson's teachings, I did not get very far through them.

While watching the first part of the series, I heard David teaching about the location of Mount Sinai.

He presented the traditional identification of Mount Sinai with the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt, associated with the area around Saint Catherine's Monastery.

That immediately raised a red flag for me.

Why?

Because I had already spent considerable time researching the subject of Mount Sinai, and there was a biblical statement I could not simply ignore.

Paul wrote:

Galatians 4:25 — Berean Literal Bible

“NOW HAGAR IS MOUNT SINAI IN ARABIA…”

Whatever conclusion we ultimately reach concerning the precise geographical location of the biblical mountain, those words:

“MOUNT SINAI IN ARABIA”

needed to be taken seriously.

I had also been examining archaeological claims concerning possible locations for Mount Sinai in Arabia.

So I decided to write to David Pawson.

I WROTE TO DAVID PAWSON

I contacted him because I genuinely believed I had seen biblical and archaeological evidence that he might want to consider.

I received a reply which, as I remember it, essentially questioned who I was to challenge him on the subject.

I became concerned that perhaps my first letter had sounded disrespectful, which had never been my intention.

So I wrote again.

This time I apologised and explained that I was not claiming to be some great Bible scholar. I was simply pointing him toward what I believed Scripture said concerning Mount Sinai and Arabia, together with archaeological evidence I had encountered.

I did not receive another reply.

That experience stayed with me.

I had spent more than £500 because I genuinely wanted to learn from this man, yet very early in the series I had encountered something which appeared to conflict with my own understanding of Scripture.

Eventually, I found that I could no longer continue watching the collection in the same way.

YEARS LATER, SOMETHING MUCH BIGGER HAPPENED

Years passed.

I was still a Trinitarian.

Then I encountered Bible teachers who challenged something far more fundamental than the location of Mount Sinai.

They challenged me to examine:

THE TRINITY ITSELF.

Initially, this was not something I simply wanted to accept.

After approximately ten years of believing that God was a Trinity, I had to ask myself a difficult question:

DOES THE BIBLE ACTUALLY TEACH WHAT I HAVE ALWAYS BELIEVED?

So I began searching the Scriptures for myself.

I examined the words of God.

I examined the teachings of Jesus.

I examined the apostles.

And gradually I became convinced that the doctrine I had accepted for years could not be reconciled with what I was finding throughout Scripture concerning:

THE ONE GOD — THE FATHER

and:

JESUS CHRIST — HIS SON.

That completely changed the direction of my Bible research.

To this day, I remain thankful to God for the Bible teachers who encouraged me to test what I believed against Scripture, rather than simply accepting a doctrine because Christianity had taught it to me.

I LATER TRIED TO REACH DAVID PAWSON ABOUT THE TRINITY

Because I had once respected David Pawson so highly, I wanted him to examine the same biblical evidence that had caused me to reconsider my own Trinitarian beliefs.

I therefore tried to communicate through comments on some of his YouTube teachings.

Sadly, this never developed into the biblical discussion I had hoped for. Some of my comments were removed, and I was unable to persuade him to reconsider his Trinitarian position.

David Pawson remained firmly committed to the Trinity throughout his ministry.

Eventually, in 2020, David Pawson died.

I was genuinely saddened to hear of his death, and I felt for his family and those who had known and loved him.

Whatever disagreements I later had with his theology, I have never forgotten that this was once a man whose Bible teaching I admired so much that I spent hundreds of pounds buying his teaching collection.

That is important for readers to understand.

THIS ARTICLE IS ABOUT TESTING TEACHINGS — NOT ATTACKING A MAN

David Pawson may have been completely sincere in what he believed.

But sincerity cannot determine biblical truth.

Neither can popularity.

Neither can qualifications.

Neither can decades of ministry.

And neither can I.

SCRIPTURE MUST BE THE TEST.

That principle applies to David Pawson.

It applies to every Trinitarian teacher.

It applies to Unitarian teachers.

And it applies equally to me, Simon Brown.

If anything I teach contradicts the Word of God:

DO NOT BELIEVE ME.

Test it.

Search the Scriptures.

That is precisely what the Bereans did.

Acts 17:11 — Berean Literal Bible

They received the word eagerly,

“EVERY DAY EXAMINING THE SCRIPTURES, WHETHER THESE THINGS WERE SO.”

That is the spirit in which I want this research to be read.

Now we can examine a remarkable statement in David Pawson's teaching concerning the Trinity and creation.

QUICK FACTS: DID “GODS” CREATE THE WORLD?

In one of David Pawson's teachings about the Trinity, he used language referring to “Gods” in connection with creation.

This raises an extremely important biblical question.

If the Father is God,

the Son is God,

and the Holy Spirit is God,

and all three participated as God in creating the world:

HOW MANY WHO ARE GOD CREATED THE WORLD?

Three?

Or one?

This is precisely where I believe the traditional doctrine creates a problem that needs to be examined against Scripture.

Rather than simply accepting theological explanations, let's look at what God Himself says.

WHO DOES ISAIAH SAY CREATED EVERYTHING?

One of the clearest statements occurs in Isaiah.

Isaiah 44:24

Yahweh identifies Himself as the Creator.

The passage describes Him as the One who made all things, stretched out the heavens and spread out the earth.

Most importantly, the text uses extraordinarily exclusive language.

The question we therefore need to ask is:

WHO WAS WITH YAHWEH DOING THE CREATING?

If Yahweh was three divine persons creating together, we might expect Scripture to explain this.

Instead, Isaiah repeatedly presents Yahweh speaking as one personal speaker:

“I”

and describes His creative work in exclusive terms.

This creates a serious question for the claim that three distinct persons, each fully God, performed the act of creation together.

WHO IS YAHWEH?

This brings us to the central question.

Who is the one God?

Jesus gives us an extraordinarily clear statement.

John 17:3 — Berean Literal Bible

Jesus prayed to His Father and called Him:

“THE ONLY TRUE GOD.”

Notice who is speaking.

Jesus.

And notice to whom He is speaking.

HIS FATHER.

Jesus distinguishes between:

“YOU, THE ONLY TRUE GOD”

and:

“JESUS CHRIST, WHOM YOU SENT.”

We therefore have two clearly distinguished individuals:

1. The Father — the only true God.

2. Jesus Christ — the One whom that God sent.

Paul gives us the same basic distinction.

PAUL SAYS THERE IS ONE GOD — THE FATHER

1 Corinthians 8:6 — Berean Literal Bible

“YET TO US THERE IS ONE GOD, THE FATHER…”

Paul doesn't say:

“There is one God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”

Instead, he identifies the one God as:

THE FATHER.

He then distinguishes Jesus from that one God:

“AND ONE LORD, JESUS CHRIST.”

This distinction occurs repeatedly throughout the New Testament.

THE FATHER IS NOT THE SON

Interestingly, Trinitarian theology itself insists that:

The Father is not the Son.

And:

The Son is not the Father.

I agree that the Father and Son are distinct persons.

But this creates an important question when combined with the biblical statement that:

THE ONE GOD IS THE FATHER.

If the Father is the one God, and the Son is not the Father, how can the Son simultaneously be the very same one God identified as the Father?

This is one of the fundamental questions I believe Trinitarian theology needs to answer from Scripture.

DID JESUS EVER SAY HE WAS THE SAME GOD AS HIS FATHER?

Throughout the Gospel of John, Jesus continually speaks about His Father.

John 8:19

Jesus speaks of:

“MY FATHER.”

John 10:36

Jesus describes Himself as:

“SON OF GOD.”

John 17:3

Jesus calls His Father:

“THE ONLY TRUE GOD.”

John 20:17

After His resurrection, Jesus speaks of:

“MY GOD AND YOUR GOD.”

These statements establish a consistent relationship.

There is:

GOD

and there is:

THE SON OF GOD.

Jesus never says:

“I am God the Son.”

He never says:

“God is three persons.”

And He never teaches His disciples:

“The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are three co-equal persons who together constitute the one God.”

Instead, Jesus identifies His Father as His God.

SO WHAT ABOUT CREATION?

This brings us directly back to David Pawson's teaching.

If we say there are three distinct persons who are each God and that these three participated in creation as God, we need to reconcile that claim with the statements where Yahweh describes Himself as the Creator using singular and exclusive language.

Isaiah does not present three Gods announcing:

“WE CREATED THE WORLD.”

The Creator speaks as:

“I.”

And this same biblical pattern occurs again and again.

The God of Israel is presented as one.

THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT

This was not merely an Old Testament idea that Jesus later replaced with a Trinity.

When Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment, He began by quoting Israel's confession concerning God.

Mark 12:29 — Berean Literal Bible

“HEAR THIS, O ISRAEL: THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD.”

Jesus did not correct this Jewish understanding by saying:

“You have misunderstood God. God is actually three persons.”

Instead, Jesus affirmed the confession of Israel.

And shortly afterwards, the scribe responded:

Mark 12:32 — Berean Literal Bible

“HE IS ONE, AND THERE IS NOT ANOTHER BESIDES HIM.”

Jesus did not rebuke him.

Jesus told him:

“YOU ARE NOT FAR FROM THE KINGDOM OF GOD.”

That is enormously important.

ONE GOD — NOT THREE GODS

This is why I believe language about multiple divine persons creating the universe needs to be examined very carefully.

The issue is not whether David Pawson was sincere.

I believe he was.

The issue is whether his theological framework can be reconciled with the biblical statements concerning the identity of the one God.

The Bible repeatedly presents God as:

ONE.

Jesus calls the Father:

THE ONLY TRUE GOD.

Paul says:

THERE IS ONE GOD, THE FATHER.

And Jesus Himself has:

A GOD AND FATHER.

So if three distinct persons are each individually fully God, we must still answer the simple question:

WHY DOES THIS NOT AMOUNT TO THREE WHO ARE GOD?

Calling those three “one God” does not by itself answer the question.

It must be demonstrated from Scripture.

JESUS IS NOT DIMINISHED BY BEING THE SON OF GOD

Rejecting the claim that Jesus is God Almighty does not mean rejecting Jesus.

Quite the opposite.

I believe Jesus exactly as Scripture identifies Him:

THE CHRIST.

THE SON OF GOD.

THE ONE BEGOTTEN BY GOD.

THE ONE SENT BY GOD.

THE ONE ANOINTED BY GOD.

THE ONE RAISED FROM THE DEAD BY GOD.

THE ONE EXALTED BY GOD.

THE ONE GIVEN ALL AUTHORITY BY GOD.

Jesus Himself said:

John 10:36 — Berean Literal Bible

“I SAID, ‘I AM SON OF GOD.’”

And John tells us why his Gospel was written:

John 20:31 — Berean Literal Bible

“BUT THESE HAVE BEEN WRITTEN SO THAT YOU MAY BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD.”

That is the identity I believe Scripture gives Jesus.

THE QUESTION DAVID PAWSON'S TEACHING LEAVES US WITH

David Pawson was an intelligent, knowledgeable and highly respected Bible teacher.

I once admired his teaching enormously.

But no teacher stands above Scripture.

Not David Pawson.

Not the early Church Fathers.

Not the councils.

Not modern theologians.

And certainly not me.

So forget personalities for a moment and consider the question itself:

IF THE FATHER IS GOD,

THE SON IS GOD,

AND THE HOLY SPIRIT IS GOD,

AND THESE ARE THREE DISTINCT PERSONS,

HOW ARE THERE NOT THREE WHO ARE GOD?

And concerning creation:

DID THREE PERSONS WHO ARE EACH GOD CREATE THE WORLD?

Or should we accept the straightforward declaration of the God of Israel, who speaks of Himself as the Creator?

This is why every Christian should follow the example of the Bereans and examine these teachings carefully against Scripture.

FINAL CONCLUSION

I once accepted the Trinity.

I once listened to teachers such as David Pawson believing that what I was hearing represented biblical Christianity.

But eventually I realised that I had a responsibility to test everything against the Word of God.

That same responsibility belongs to every reader.

Do not believe something simply because Simon Brown says it.

Do not believe something simply because David Pawson said it.

Do not believe something simply because a church has taught it for centuries.

SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES.

Ask:

Who did Jesus say the only true God is?

Who did Paul identify as the one God?

Who is Jesus' God?

Who did Yahweh say created the heavens and the earth?

And then ask the question at the centre of this research:

DOES THE BIBLE REALLY TEACH THAT GOD IS THREE PERSONS?

Or does Scripture consistently reveal:

ONE GOD, THE FATHER

and:

ONE LORD, JESUS CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD?

The decision should never be based upon tradition.

It should be based upon the Word of God.

Research by Simon Brown

wwwrealdiscoveriesorg-simon.blogspot.com

You tube videos:

 EXPOSING FALSE TEACHERS ON REVELATION TV!

EXPOSING Dr. Grady S. McMurtry On Revelation TV!

According to Dr. Grady, John 14:9, John 10:30, PROVES Jesus is GOD Almighty!

FALSE TEACHINGS of Dr Grady John 10:30.

Dr. Grady McMurtry's FALSE TEACHING on HELL!

Dr Grady McMurtry says 2 Corinthians 5:8 proves the saints are in HEAVEN! 

David Pawson & Answers in Genesis, FALSE TEACHINGS on the TRINITY.


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